MBC series "Royal Family" [MBC]

MBC drama “Royal Family” finished its run this week after being declared the co-winner of the Wednesdays and Thursdays primetime slot along with SBS’ “49 Days” for the fourth week-in-a-row, according to findings by two media research companies on Friday.

Data by Total National Multimedia Statistics (TNmS) showed that the front runner of this week was SBS’ romance fantasy “49 Days” a story of a wandering soul trying to return back to her body, which posted an average viewership rating of 12.1 percent.

MBC’s “Royal Family,” about power game at a conglomerate family, came second with an average viewership rating of 10.6 percent and KBS’ melodrama “The Thorn Birds,” about two women who made contrasting choices for life, at third with 10.25 percent.

The poll by AGB Nielsen Media Research, (AGB) however, deemed “Royal Family” the winner of the week with an average viewership rating of 12.8 percent, fast pursued by “49 Days” that came second with an average viewership rating of 12. 3 percent and “The Thorn Birds” trailing last with 11.45 percent.

Meanwhile, the 18-part series “Royal Family” starring Yum Jung-ah, Ji Sung, Kim Young-ae and Cha Ye-ryun which went on air in early March, ended its run yesterday, after ruling the charts of the two media companies for three straight weeks and reaping additional four consecutive wins on AGB's survey alone.

The story, which began with In-sook (played by Yum) trying to stay within JK Group's conglomerate household while struggling against her mother-in-law Gong Soon-ho (Kim) who tried to get rid of her after her son’s death, depicted on the innermost desires of human beings by portraying the power struggles within a household considered a modern version of a royal family.

Prosecutor-turned-family lawyer Ji-hoon (Ji Sung) comes to assist In-sook but the two also have issues of their own regarding In-sook’s hidden past which involved the death of Ji-hoon’s father. At the end, the two reconcile and disappear together on a helicopter, leaving the ending open as to whether they eloped overseas or secretly got killed by Gong.

Replacing “Royal Family” will be the new series “The Greatest Love” starring Kong Hyo-jin, Cha Seung-won, Yoo In-na and Yoon Kye-sang about a love between a top celebrity and a former idol star, which will go on air starting May 4.

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Editor : Jessica Kim jesskim@
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